Latest news with #BillBullard
Reuters
10-07-2025
- Health
- Reuters
US again halts cattle imports from Mexico over flesh-eating screwworms
CHICAGO, July 10 (Reuters) - The flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm has advanced closer to the U.S. border with Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, prompting Washington to block imports of Mexican cattle just days after it allowed them to resume at a port of entry in Arizona. Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, usually livestock and wild animals. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated. Mexico reported a new case of screwworm about 370 miles south of the U.S. border in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, on Tuesday, the USDA said in a statement, opens new tab late on Wednesday. The agency ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately. "Closing the border isn't just justified, it's essential," said Bill Bullard, CEO of U.S. cattle producers' group R-CALF USA. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called the decision "exaggerated," saying it was prompted by a single new case. "It is an exaggerated measure in the face of a situation that is under control," Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference on Thursday. At its peak in late June, Mexico registered 480 cases. According to the latest data from the Agriculture Ministry, that number has dropped below 400 as Mexico continues to target the pest. "We hope that they will reopen very soon," Sheinbaum added, even as the United States expresses concerns about the disease approaching Mexico's northern border. An infestation in the United States could further tighten supplies of cattle, which are at their lowest levels in decades, and also endanger other livestock and household pets. The USDA suspended Mexican cattle imports in May after screwworm was detected about 700 miles from the U.S. border at farms in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. The agency said last week that it would resume imports on Monday at a port of entry in Douglas, Arizona, as part of a phased reopening of the border because screwworms had not been moving north in Mexico. Now, the USDA needs to see more progress in combating the pest in Veracruz and nearby Mexican states to reopen livestock ports on the southern border, Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s when researchers released sterilized male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. The USDA said last month that it would build a sterile fly dispersal facility in Hidalgo County, Texas, and consider a sterile fly production facility. The agency should immediately begin work on a U.S. sterile fly production facility, said Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association industry group. "The New World screwworm's northward movement jeopardizes the safety of American agriculture," he said. "We cannot wait any longer." The Mexican Beef Producers Association said in a statement that it regrets the halt while Mexico's government has indicated that it has been working on the release of sterile flies.
CNA
10-07-2025
- General
- CNA
US again halts cattle imports from Mexico over flesh-eating screwworms
CHICAGO: The flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm has advanced closer to the US border with Mexico, the US Department of Agriculture said, prompting Washington to block imports of Mexican cattle just days after it allowed them to resume at a port of entry in Arizona. Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, usually livestock and wild animals. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated. Mexico reported screwworms about 595km south of the US border in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, on Tuesday, the USDA said in a statement late on Wednesday. The agency ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately. "Closing the border isn't just justified, it's essential," said Bill Bullard, CEO of US cattle producers' group R-CALF USA. An infestation in the United States could add to further tightening supplies of cattle, which are at their lowest levels in decades, and also endanger other livestock and household pets. The USDA suspended Mexican cattle imports in May after screwworm was detected about 1,126km from the US border at farms in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. The agency said last week that it would resume imports on Monday at a port of entry in Douglas, Arizona, as part of a phased reopening of the border because screwworms had not been moving north in Mexico. Now, the USDA needs to see more progress in combating the pest in Veracruz and nearby Mexican states to reopen livestock ports on the southern border, Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s when researchers released sterilised male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. The USDA said last month that it would build a sterile fly dispersal facility in Hidalgo County, Texas, and consider a sterile fly production facility. The agency should immediately begin work on a US sterile fly production facility, said Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association industry group.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
U.S. again halts cattle imports from Mexico over screwworm pest
In this Jan. 2024 photo provided by The Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Cattle Screwworms (COPEG), a worker drops New World screwworm fly larvae into a tray at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacora, Panama. (COPEG via AP) CHICAGO — The flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm has advanced closer to the U.S. border with Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, prompting Washington to block imports of Mexican cattle just days after it allowed them to resume at a port of entry in Arizona. Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, usually livestock and wild animals. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated. Mexico reported screwworms about 370 miles south of the U.S. border in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, on Tuesday, the USDA said in a statement late on Wednesday. The agency ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately. 'Closing the border isn't just justified, it's essential,' said Bill Bullard, CEO of U.S. cattle producers' group R-CALF USA. An infestation in the United States could add to further tightening supplies of cattle, which are at their lowest levels in decades, and also endanger other livestock and household pets. The USDA suspended Mexican cattle imports in May after screwworm was detected about 700 miles from the U.S. border at farms in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. The agency said last week that it would resume imports on Monday at a port of entry in Douglas, Arizona, as part of a phased reopening of the border because screwworms had not been moving north in Mexico. Now, the USDA needs to see more progress in combating the pest in Veracruz and nearby Mexican states to reopen livestock ports on the southern border, Secretary Brooke Rollins said. Screwworms were eradicated from the United States in the 1960s when researchers released sterilized male screwworm flies that mate with wild female screwworms to produce infertile eggs. The USDA said last month that it would build a sterile fly dispersal facility in Hidalgo County, Texas, and consider a sterile fly production facility. The agency should immediately begin work on a U.S. sterile fly production facility, said Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association industry group. 'The New World screwworm's northward movement jeopardizes the safety of American agriculture,' he said. 'We cannot wait any longer.' --- Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Porter
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Florida AG should replace dystopian rhetoric on ‘Alligator Alcatraz' for empathy
Retrograde habits On ✓March 22, 1933, Dachau opened as the first concentration camp of the Nazi regime. Initially, it imprisoned political opponents, later incarcerating Jews, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, physically and mentally impaired people and others on the margins of society. Few in Germany raised voices of opposition, due to ignorance, indifference or fear of retaliation. Recent comments by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier would have been applauded by those who supported the ideas of isolating Germany's unwanted in the 1930s. Suggesting that alligators, pythons and the Everglades' vast wetlands are sufficient deterrents to anyone wishing to escape only indicates the level of dystopia to which he has sunk. Obviously, he has never trekked through the jungles of the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia, crossed the shark infested and storm-tossed waters of the Atlantic, or risked his life and the lives of his family with smugglers in a search for freedom. Bill Bullard, a former high school dean, authored, 'Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge because it requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge is empathy, because it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world.' Uthmeier should apply the moral and mental effort to comprehend what he is condoning. When empathy is absent or viewed as a weakness, then humanity no longer possesses its inherent dignity and value and we will have devolved into our animal instincts. Rev. Leo F. Armbrust, Glen Ridge Adaptive reuse Having lived in Miami for more than 70 years and witnessing the assassination of most of our city's historic buildings, another treasure of our history is seemingly being prepared for it's inevitable destruction. The Olympia Theater is a jewel. It can be preserved for its original purpose and contribution to our cultural life. I remember going with my grandmother and my parents to see movies in that extraordinary place. I remember seeing other performances there also. Miami, however, is not interested in my memories or the stories of any structures that tell of the city's earlier history. Local politicians and some residents have found the perfect, if criminal way, to destroy buildings designated as 'historic:' benign neglect. Witness the Coconut Grove Playhouse and the Miami Courthouse. However, it does not have to be this way. Another glorious structure has survived and been preserved for 168 years: Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. The story of this structure is evidence of the way businessmen operated in a different time when, instead of trying to steal property and land from the people, they found ways to give back to their communities. Mechanics Hall was first thought of as a way to teach young men the skills they could use to earn their living and to provide a place for the community to be exposed to higher culture. In serving these ends, a 'shop' became the pride of a growing city that remains to this day and retains its perfect acoustics. Read the story of Mechanics Hall and learn about another path forward. Judith Antinarella, Miami Gator bites Gov. Ron DeSantis is creating 'Alligator Alcatraz' with the expectation of getting reimbursed by the Trump administration. According to some news reports, it's estimated cost is about $450 million. In addition to the setup costs, the environmental costs will be substantial. Unfortunately, President Trump is not known to pay his debts and Florida taxpayers will probably get stuck with the bill. Joe Smariga, Fort Lauderdale Party politics I read with appreciation Herald Editorial Board member Mary Anna Mancuso's well-thought June 15 op-ed, 'Florida doesn't need a new third political party,' on preserving Florida's two-party political system. Recreating is always more costly than tweaking most problems. Florida's troubled politics are certainly worthy of needing a fix. In his intent to run for governor, John Morgan should be aware that injecting another party system is doomed to neutralize our time-honored American two-party system. If he truly wishes to serve the people of Florida, selecting an existing party and promoting a positive platform would serve the citizens more favorably. H. Allen Benowitz, Miami Zone of interest Let's call 'Alligator Alcatraz' and other similar detention centers what they are: concentration camps. Our government is building concentration camps in the Everglades. Secret, masked, police are taking people off the street, with no due process and placing them in camps with no oversight or accountability. Concentration camps, that's what they are. Jason Ireland, Fort Lauderdale Can I get a yes? The slogan used for the old anti-drug program for kids was 'Just Say No.' We can now use that same slogan when we talk about today's 'No' society. 'No' to certain books, 'no' to certain classes in school (undergrad and grad), 'no' to abortion, 'no' to gun control, 'no' to DEI. No, no, no. What a legacy for this generation and our country to have. Could we possibly turn this around and become an inclusive and understanding country of 'Yes?' Hope so. Alvin Blake, Miami Surviving attacks I traveled to Israel for a summer financial technology internship. I lived with students from University of Miami, University of Central Florida and Florida International University. Although Hamas and Houthis launched earlier attacks, we stayed optimistic and focused on our work. Everything changed when Iran launched missiles at our area. Buildings where some students worked were hit. In response, we were quickly moved to a hotel with other American students and then brought to a boat heading for Cyprus. Missiles exploded just yards from the boat. Iranian rockets approached, intercepted by the Iron Dome, allowing us to continue safely. New challenges awaited in Cyprus. An Iranian agent leaked our flight coordinates online, forcing a delay of departure. Authorities arrested the agent. When we landed in Rome, students chose to remove their visible Star of Davids out of caution. I made it home to Chicago with a deeper appreciation for peace, safety and the strength of community. Now, when I walk across the University of Miami campus, I feel a renewed sense of gratitude. I'm grateful for freedom, for safety and for the chance to live without fear of sirens or war. Jacob Goroff, Chicago, IL Big bad payoff Florida's Republican state legislators and Gov. Ron DeSantis recently passed a new law restricting local governments' ability to establish historic districts (among other idiotic restrictions). This is tragic and an economic malpractice. I arrived in Miami in May 1983 and worked in the South Beach office of Jewish Family Services. Hard to believe that back then, South Beach was economically depressed, a truly slum and blighted area. The designation of the Art Deco District was the catalyst which sparked the revitalization of that area, making it one of the most desirable and high-end communities in Florida (now worth billions of dollars). As an affordable housing developer for the past 28 years, I am sure that Republican legislators who have effectively killed home rule in cities and counties throughout Florida have received hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of developer political contributions (paradoxically, home rule was once a plank in the Republican Party's platform). These myopic Republicans have effectively killed the goose that lays golden eggs, just for their short term personal benefit. Doug Mayer, president, Stone Soup Development, Coral Gables Get it done What would have happened on 9/11 if Bin Laden had had access to a nuclear bomb? Different delivery logistics, of course, but imagine the result. Iranian leaders, military and many of their civilians have grown up to hate the U.S. as much or more. Preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons must be done at all costs. Daniel Westbrook, Miami
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Empathetic Leadership Matters Now More Than Ever
CEO of executive coaching firm Jody Michael Assoc. and author of Leading Lightly: Lower Your Stress, Think with Clarity and Lead with Ease. I recently came across a commencement address by Bill Bullard, a high school dean of faculty, that included the memorable quote: "The highest form of knowledge ... is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world." Empathy has become an imperative in contemporary leadership. Often labeled as a "soft skill," empathy is, in fact, a cornerstone of effective decision-making, talent retention and sustainable performance. It is also the foundation of emotional intelligence—and the most common element missing when emotional intelligence falls short. Lead With Empathy And Build Psychological Safety When leaders lead with empathy, individuals—whether direct reports or peers—feel heard, seen and valued. This creates a climate of psychological safety, where trust and openness flourish. In such environments, team members are more likely to speak up, share ideas and admit mistakes without fear of blame. That openness drives collaboration, creativity and resilience—especially critical in high-pressure or fast-moving settings. Empathy also helps buffer against today's constant stressors. In a world shaped by geopolitical upheaval, social division and AI disruption, leaders are not navigating occasional challenges; they are steering through a state of continuous crisis. The Human Cost Of Empathy Gaps One of my coaching clients, a skilled marketing strategist, spent several years helping her organization implement and train an AI system to streamline campaign development. Her expertise was crucial in training the system to mirror her strategic thinking. But once the AI reached peak performance, she was let go. The very tool she trained replaced her, at no cost. Her story is a stark reality of what is already unfolding in many industries: talent being displaced by the very technology they helped build. In another case, a client told me of a team member who worked nearly 48 hours straight to meet an unrealistic deadline—only to be asked to do it again a month later, in even less time. There was no acknowledgment, no adjustment and no curiosity about the toll this demand had taken on the employee. This kind of leadership without empathy is not only unsustainable but actively harmful to morale and performance. These types of demands lead to burnout, disengagement and high turnover. Research backs this up. A review of 42 studies found that empathetic leadership boosts engagement and reduces turnover—especially in times of uncertainty. The Leadership Blind Spot In my experience, leadership without empathy often stems from deeper issues: compulsiveness, insecurity or an over-identification with results. Leaders frequently overestimate their empathic abilities. According to the "2024 State of Workplace Empathy Report: A Game Plan for Putting Empathy into Action," while 55% of CEOs believe they lead with empathy, only 28% of employees and just 22% of HR professionals agree. In 360-degree reviews I have conducted, I have seen many high-performing leaders blindsided by feedback that reveals how little they understand the emotional experiences of their teams. Five Ways To Practice Empathy Effectively Despite its importance, empathy remains widely misunderstood and, as discussed above, rarely practiced effectively by leaders. Here are five practical strategies you can use to build real empathy in your day-to-day leadership. Empathy begins with active listening. When someone says they are overwhelmed, resist the urge to judge or compare. Instead, ask what is on their plate, seek to understand their obstacles and offer support where needed. But first, listen to understand, not to respond. If a project is due Wednesday, do not ask for it on Monday. Instead, check in to offer support and ask how the work is progressing. Respect the timeframes you have agreed on rather than using them as leverage. Pay attention to your team's behavior and energy. Are they exhausted? Distracted? Life outside of work—parenting, illness, caregiving—can affect performance. Empathy means noticing and adjusting expectations without penalizing people for being human. Empathy involves understanding individuals and managing the larger group. When leaders over-identify with one team member, it can create resentment and disrupt cohesion. Make sure you hold space for both individual and collective success. You do not have to solve every problem yourself. A better approach is to listen, ask what is needed and help the person access the right resources—whether that is coaching, HR support, additional flexibility, etc. Empathy is about empowering, not rescuing. Empathy Drives Real Leadership People do not leave companies; they leave bosses. When you lead with empathy, you gain trust, loyalty and true followership. And in today's world of constant disruption, that human connection may be your greatest leadership asset. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
